The traveler's tale
by arendtx
Summary: It's already midnight; Emma drove Henry back to her parents' apartment a couple hours ago, despite Henry's protests against letting Regina alone in the newly found library, surrounded by potential storybooks. And now the brunette was hoping to find a clue but what she would encounter this night would change everything.


**A/N**: I apologize if there's any mistakes but English is not my first language. This story is my gift to **Jac** (_katilayia_ on tumblr) and it's part of Outlaw Queen Secret Santa. - Merry Christmas, dear! 

* * *

><p>It's already midnight; Emma drove Henry back to her parents' apartment a couple hours ago, despite Henry's protests against letting Regina alone in the newly found library, surrounded by potential storybooks. And now the brunette was hoping to find a clue but what she would encounter this night would change everything.<p>

She lets out a sigh, there's no trace of the author and she doesn't want to go back home or to her vault, they are too empty now. True be told, she's feeling empty now.

The brunette opens another book and, with no surprise, it's blank as the previous one and the others before. All she wants, or more precisely, all she needs is to find something; anything that can soothes her pain.

She pulls another book from the shelf, already knowing what she'll find, and goes straight to the table, she's tired of everything. She puts the book carefully on the table as she sits and closes her eyes. Every time she does that, she can see Robin's image, she can almost feel his hand on hers, letting it go, and she fights a tear back. She's been doing this the whole day, even in front of him, even when _he_ couldn't fight his. It feels somehow unreal, and yet she already knew it was coming.

Slowly she opens her eyes, straightens herself on the chair and goes through the book's pages. At first, it was the same as the others, simply blank, but as she turns the pages she notices something on it. She lets go a low laugh, "_Hope_" she breathes out painfully. She can't quite understand what it's happening on the book, it seems to be opening but she can't focused on that because she is getting dizzy and suddenly she's not so sure where she is anymore.

_"What the hell..."_ She trails off when she realizes she's at her house, on her bedroom more precisely. "How did I got here?" She asks herself a bit irritated and still lightheaded as she walks around the room, until she sees... _Herself _waking up, _"_But...what?" She furrows her brow trying to make sense of what's happening. Her other self is fully awake now and passes right through her, as she's not even there, except she is and... She _oohs,_ of course, the book, the very last thing she remembers. _She must be… inside the book but how? And what story is it telling? No, this isn't possible, it has to be a dream_. Her head hurts and she decides to put all the questions away for now, and follows her other self, maybe this way she will find some answers.

/ 

It's Saturday morning, oddly quiet she must admit, and she's alone on her bed. Regina stretches and lazily gets out of bed, something feels out of place. She looks around and it's all the same but she can't shake this feeling, deep down, that something; _someone _is watching her.

She shakes her head and tells herself it's nothing as she walks to her bathroom, she does everything as she always do, then finds a comfortable outfit and flat shoes - she's not planning to leave the house today.

StoryBrooke is save, at least for now, and she hopes she'll be able to have a nice weekend with her family. _Family_, she smiles at the thought, doesn't matter how long it's been, she still can't believe how things turned out to be.

She walks downstairs to find Roland and Henry, whispering around the couch. There's milk on the couch, which one of them must have dropped it, while playing video game, she reasons. She clears her throat to get their attention "Someone care to tell me what's going on here?" She lifts one brow, she's trying really hard to keep a straight face. Roland widen his eyes surprised he has been caught, the 8-years-old boy can't put a sentence together, so Henry puts him out of his misery, "Nothing, just...cleaning"

The older boy was trying to cover their little incident at the best of his ability but he knew his mother had noticed. So he tried to distract her with other subject, for the sake of Roland's heart beats.

"Robin left this for you" he says as he reaches for a piece of paper in his pocket and goes towards his mother with a '_sorry'_ smile, "I'll clean it up" he hands the paper to her and she gets in her tiptoes to kiss his cheek; he's so tall now. _When that happened?_

"Thank you" she said before turning to Roland, "And you, dear, can breath, everything's alright but be careful next time" Roland let out his breath, "mmhmm" he manages to say before returning to clean up with Henry.

Regina opens the paper, it's a note; Robin is still refusing to use a cellphone when it's not an emergency. _Oh, that man!_

_"Good morning, Milady!  
><em>

_I hope you enjoy the little surprise I have for you in the kitchen. I'd love to have taken upstairs but I was requested to help our beloved princess with something else. Don't worry, we'll be back soon.  
><em>

_Love you, Robin"_

_/  
><em>

_Wrong, wrong, everything is wrong_, she thinks as she watches the scene, her own face lighting up in front of her while reading whatever Robin wrote for her, but this is wrong. Her heart is racing and she can't tell what she's feeling, it's all out of place, she's overwhelmed by happiness and sorrow.

She wants this domestic life to be _hers_ with every fiber of her being but nothing of this is true, it **can't** be. Robin is lost for her and Roland will never drop milk on her couch. Why is this all happening in front of her eyes?

She holds tight the table's edge because she is trying to hold herself together, fighting her tears but the sight of the boys, _their boys_, acting like siblings it's too much for her, so she lets her tears roll down her face as she follows her other self to the kitchen. She stops a couple steps behind where the other Regina has stopped, both of them looking the surprise on the table. There's flowers and breakfast ready.

The other Regina places Robin's note down and goes closer to the table smiling. She continues to follow herself but stops to read the note. There's a warm feeling growing in her heart, "_beloved princess_" she reads carefully the words but places down the note where she found it when she hears a noise, her other hand goes to her mouth, trying to be quiet. But why? This is most certain a dream... She looks at herself walking around the kitchen blissfully and sitting down to eat breakfast.

_ This is torture_, she thinks as she slides behind the counter, seeing the life she can never have, the happiness that _villains_ will never achieve.

/

He cooked her a simple but very good breakfast, he must had been requested by their daughter before he could manage anything more elaborate but she doesn't mind, she is actually curious about what the two of them are up to. She finishes eating and washes the dishes, stopping for a moment to look at the counter, something is bothering her but she can't put her finger on it.

She goes to the living room but the boys are no longer there, they must be upstairs, changing. So she takes the time to go to her study room, she thinks about getting some work done but decides against it, it's her day off after all, the town will survive a couple days without her - it managed a year with Snow, anyway. She pours herself a glass of apple cider and picks a book she's been neglecting for a while and lays on the couch.

/

Regina holds her breath when her other self looks at her, thankfully it only lasts a moment. Nobody can hear her or see her but she can touch things, and _ooh!_ there's a voice inside her head, "_Our beloved princess_", it keeps repeating that and she is not in the mood to watch herself reading so she decides to look around the house.

It's a dream, she tells herself, but _it feels so real_.

She walks upstairs; slowly, trying to listen behind the doors, until she finds the room she was looking for. It's light blue, with paintings of forest on the wall, the bed is across the room under a curtain that is falling of a crown, and a stuffed lion is sitting among the pillows. There is a nightstand on the left side and on the right side of the wall behind the bed was written "Princess Riley"; the room was fit to a _little princess_, she thinks.

She doesn't bother looking the rest of the room because on the nightstand she finds one picture, Robin has Roland on his arms and Henry's looking down to the new born in his mother's arms, Regina is lying on a hospital bed.

She holds the picture tight against her chest, against her heart, and it aches. It feels like an electrical power went through her heart and she closes her eyes, the picture doesn't leave her mind, and she's not sure how long she sat on the little girl's bed, but she only stands up when she hears voices downstairs.

/

Regina was still reading when Robin got home with Riley, "Hello, Milady!" He greets her as he walks into her study room, and he's followed by a very loud, "_Mommy_!"

The little girl runs towards Regina, who's already with her arms open, waiting for her hug. "Hello, my princess! Where have you been?" She says before giving her a kiss and looks at Robin, "What are the two of you up to this time?" Her face is serious but her playfully tone gives her daughter room to tease her, "It's a super secret, Mommy." And Robin whispers to her, "Only on Christmas, My love"

Christmas is only a few days away, and whatever it is, she knows she's going to love it, so she sighs but doesn't ask anymore questions.

/

Regina can feel her soul hurting once she looks upon Robin's figure and the little girl by his side, wrapped around her mother's arms. _Her arms_. If she concentrates hard enough she can almost feel the hug, and _ooh! This is good._

But before she can think thoroughly Roland rushes into the room, both brunettes yell, "No running, you'll get hurt" but only one is heard.

The little girl is close to Roland now as Henry walks by the office to say he's going to Ava's house but won't be long. Robin sits down with Regina and he's telling her just how beautiful she is, and how he loves her smile as his fingers runs through her hair. She looks at him with so much love and gratitude.

Regina is almost exploding with feelings, _this isn't fair_! Why can't she just wake up?; She bits her bottom lip; but does she _wants_ to? And, _Ooh!_ It's almost like he's the one biting her lip… there it is, right in front of her... The couple's kissing, with the very same passion they always do.

/

They hear an "_Uggh_" and turn around to see Roland and Riley looking at them, a bit disgusted and the couple can only laugh before Robin says playfully, "You say that now". He looks to the other side of the room, something is odd… out of place, he can feel it but he let it go after a few seconds and says he's going to the kitchen. Regina follows him. It was fast but she saw the worry in his eyes.

/

She laughs with them, but she must've been too loud because now _he's looking_ _right at her and it's burning her_. His eyes wondering, trying to see her and she wants to yell at him, she wants to be seen but in the next second he's walking out of the room with the other brunette. _Wait, am I jealous of myself? _She shakes her head and focus on the kids, playing on the floor. Regina walks closer and closer to them.

And…

"_Mommy_" the little girl is looking at her _but she can't be seeing her_, Regina looks intrigued, but the little girl is going her way, "You crying?" Oh God, _she is seeing her_, Regina's heart is racing but she manages to say sweetly, "It's nothing, I'm fine"

Roland's looking at Riley confused, "With who are you talking to?"

"Mommy, don't be sad" she's so close now and Regina can see herself and Robin in her, and _oh! Why is this happening?  
><em>

Roland runs out of the room and goes straight to his father, "Something's wrong with Riley!"

"Roland, calm down, dear" Regina kneels in front of him, placing her hands on both his arms, trying to soothe him.

"She's talking to you but... you are _HERE_!" Roland is still trying to breathe normally and Regina looks up at Robin, they had felt something out of the place but this was very strange.

/ 

Riley's hugging Regina now and she can't hold back her tears_, this isn't a dream_, she realizes, _but what is it then?_

"It's okay, Mommy... " And now she's feeling dizzy again and the same way she got there, she gets out and it's back in the library.

Everything is in the same place, it's like nothing ever happened at all. The book is still opened and she can see the little girl's picture, "But… that's _not_ possible"

/ 

By the time Robin and Regina are back in the office, Riley's playing on the floor. She gives them a soft smile, "She's not here anymore"; Regina rushes to her, and puts a hand on her back, "_Who was here_, dear?"

The little girl looks at them surprised, "The _other_ _you_" and goes to Regina's desk to take a piece of paper.

Regina stands on her feet again and Robin hugs her tight, "_It's time_" he whispers on her ear, and then… silence.

/ 

She's reading the book, reading as fast as she can but it's turning blank again, "Time for what?" she yells at the book, her heart's racing again and she decides to see the end of the book.

It's too late, everything is blank, "No_, no!"_ she has her hand on the last page and is about to close the book, when she notices something, a piece of paper. "what is…" she trails off when she opens the note.

"_The future is a choice and only you can make" _

It's a child handwriting but that's not possible, _it can't be possible_, she turns the paper and,

_**"RILEY"**_

And then she opens her mouth in realization. There's only one thing she knows about the book; it gives hope when someone needs it the most, and she needed it so much. She still can't understand what happened but she knows deep down, it's true. She can have that life, somehow _she can_. But _how is she going to find Robin? And what did he meant on the book when he told her it was time? _

She stands up and puts the book on the shelf, her tears are stopping now but her heart is still beating a little faster than usual. She leaves the room holding the piece of paper against her heart. Nothing ever went smooth to her, but she'll find a way because now she knows, she has a _choice_. 

* * *

><p>AN : Riley's name was chosen because you wanted a name starting with 'R' and this one means 'Brave' which reminds me of the movie and I don't know about you but I can totally see their daughter riding a horse, using her arrows and bow and being super independent!


End file.
